February 9, 2025
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listen to a shortened (~15 minute), AI-created podcast of this interview here
Diane Boyd, a lookout veteran from the early 1980s, discusses being born and raised in Minnesota. She shares that she moved to Montana in 1979 for a Master’s study on the only wolf in the area at the time. She details her career in wolf research, which has grown significantly over the years, and discusses her experiences working as a fire lookout in the North Fork of the Flathead River in Montana, her training with fire crews, and her daily routines, including hiking for water and managing her dogs. Boyd recounts memorable events, such as the “Mad Bomber” incident and her encounters with wildlife. She details fires experienced at the lookout that impacted her. She also discusses the technological advancements in lookout towers, noting the increased visitor traffic and the role of modern technology. Boyd emphasizes the unique sense of place and self-reliance fostered by her time as a lookout.
Northwest Montana Lookout Association 